Photo essay: Love in Montreal

I apologize for my lack of posting but I have turned into a workaholic and have handed over my soul to retail holiday employment. Dealing with 100 calls a day about the elusive Elf of the Shelf has driven me to extreme nostalgia…especially when it comes to Montreal. Warm days (weren’t they stifling?). Busy streets (weren’t the squeegee kids terrible?).

Also, it’s just easier for me to throw photos into a blog post at this point, as I’m juggling a 48-hour work week and a handful of major freelance copy writing projects. Suck it, world.

Nostalgia: the street fairs and events that took place pretty much everyday in Montreal, like the Just For Laughs Comedy Fest. Yes, that is a milk carton. Ha ha.

On the way home from a martini date with my amazing roommate James, we found ourselves stuck in an alien dance party. It’s just how Montrealers do.

One of my favourite things about Montreal was the historical architecture cuddled right up next to the modern skyscrapers. The city has more National Historical Sites of Canada than any other Canadian city.

Taken from Altitude 737, Montreal’s tallest skyscraper. There’s a sweet ass bar on top of this building that serves amazing (but hella expensive) martinis and cocktails. Sorry for the window reflection, but I’ll be damned if I were going out on that balcony.

I happened to be in Montreal during the student protests. Every day, a parade of students would march past the apartment where I slept on a pull-out couch. This day, I managed to witness the Naked Protest. Giggidy.

Not everyone involved in the protests were students.

My beer mug accurately summarizes the city.

Vieux-Montreal (the Old Port) is by far the most incredible part of the city. I spent a lot of time roaming around the cobblestone streets here, between art galleries and boutiques and buskers.

Vieux-Montreal.

My all-time favourite thing about the city: outdoor dining. OMG. I spent more time on patios and rooftop decks than I did inside my own apartment. As far as I know, it’s the best outdoor dining city in Canada.

Saint-Catherine is known as the gay district, and every summer they string “les boules roses” from building to building. After an afternoon of rooftop, poolside drinking at my friend Adam’s place, we headed to the street for dinner…so did this guy and his parrot. No big deal.

Okay, my favourite thing about Montreal might have actually been Tam Tams, an epic drum circle in the middle of Mont Royal. If you wanna get high and watch weird shit happen, headed to the centre of the action…beneath the monument.

OR pack a picnic basket, some booze, and sprawl out on the grass with thousands of Montrealers on a Sunday afternoon. My roommate James introduced me to his circle of friends here. Best day ever.

OR head to Piknic Electronik, which takes place during the same time as Tam Tams (no idea why) at Jean-Drapeau Park. Dance to electronica with a bajillion other eccentric people, but be sure to bring your picnic basket and a bottle of wine. (No, seriously. You’re not allowed to bring wine in without a picnic to accompany.) I came here with my roommates James and Andrew on Andrew’s birthday. We drank, danced for hours, and then scoured Saint-Laurent for poutine.

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I have always wanted to visit Montreal so much (and don’t really have any good reason for not having gone yet? Fail.) Here in Chicago people are big on the patio/outdoor dining thing too and it’s truly the best. I love how ecstatic everyone is when the weather is nice and we’re all sitting outside together drinking a beer — it’s like everyone is automatically best friends.

The Constant Complainer

You don’t write. You don’t call. You don’t text. You don’t e-mail. You don’t IM. You don’t fax. LOL. I just lik giving you a hard time. I’m sure Montreal was wonderful. I visited years ago – would love to go back. Enjoy the holiday season!

http://www.travelerahoy.com/ Alouise

Love these photos, especially that beer mug shot. I’ve been thinking about visiting Montreal next year, and the city keeps cropping up on my radar. I’m thinking it’s a sign that I should go… not that I need to much of an excuse. Montreal looks like a fantastic city.